1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of remote vehicle disabling, and, more particularly, to remote vehicle disabling with microwave energy.
2. Description of the Related Art
Law enforcement personnel around the world face a common problem in the field today. The circumstance where a driver refuses to comply with the request to stop is the most applicable event. Available techniques such as road blocks, barricades, or tack strips are generally used but these approaches are generally dangerous to employ in the field. Deploying obstacles such as barricades, patrol cars, nets, tack strips on a public road can be dangerous to everyone. In addition, these techniques are not always effective because the vehicle has the ability to force through or “run” the roadblock by speeding through the barricades. Furthermore, roadblocks typically require the services of several law enforcement officers, and in the event the vehicle forces through the barricades successfully, it is often required that the officers engage in high-speed pursuit which is dangerous to the public and the officers. Therefore, a safer way of disabling a moving motor vehicle is useful and desired by law enforcements. In addition, Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Homeland Security and Military Counter Terrorism may use similar non-lethal approaches.
Besides the use of obstructive techniques mentioned above, moving motor vehicles can be disabled by electromagnetic pulse (EMP) or high power microwaves that disrupts the electronic components of the vehicles. However, the use of EMP to disable a moving vehicle requires very high energy levels that are difficult to deploy in the field. Similarly, the use of high power microwaves requires a very high power microwave source that is also very difficult to deploy and package. Furthermore, EMP and high power microwaves are unsafe for people in the area of application.
When high power microwaves or EMP is used to stop a moving vehicle, microwave radiation is directed toward the vehicle to disable or inhibit electronic components of the vehicle. This includes the electronic control modules for controlling electronic fuel injectors, or the distributors, however, it is difficult to direct the microwave energy directly against a single vehicle. Thus, when the microwave radiation is not adapted to disable a particular vehicle's electronic components, all or many of the vehicles in the vicinity of the targeted vehicle may also be temporarily or permanently disabled. The disabling of the non-targeted vehicles may become a hazard to the law enforcement personnel and the public.